Debate contribution: UK Immigration Reforms: Impact on Northern Ireland

Debate contribution by Mr Gerry Carroll on 13 May 2025.

MLA

Mr Gerry Carroll

Party at the time

People Before Profit Alliance

Date

13 May 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Matter of the Day

Heading

UK Immigration Reforms: Impact on Northern Ireland

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4947459

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Keir Starmer's announcement yesterday was divisive and disgraceful. I suspect that Nigel Farage and Reform UK were delighted with and were rubbing their hands at the use of Enoch Powell-style language, sticking the boot into migrants or people who are seeking asylum. Most of us, and certainly those in my party, knew that Keir Starmer would not be strong in standing up for oppressed and marginalised people, but many of us did not think that he would be this bad this quickly. One of the worst aspects of yesterday's statement is the fact that Starmer is doing it all to save his own political skin. Rattled by the far right Reform UK party, he is a cowardly weathervane, and his announcement is being used to boost his party. What it will do, however, is boost the far right, racist, anti-migrant sentiment across Britain and probably on this island. It comes at a time when, just last week, we heard the BMA say that its members are terrified of using public transport because of racist violence. People, especially those in this House, should remember that, given their language and what they say. Racism does not just magically appear from the sky or come about organically. It comes from the top of society. Keir Starmer has, once again, made a British Government policy statement that is racist and kicks our migrant brothers and sisters. Shame on him for doing so. We hear a lot about legitimate concerns. There is a duty, especially on people in this House, to challenge lies about migration. Migrants or asylum seekers are not a drain on public services. A drain on public services are billionaires, tax evasion by the rich and economic policy that takes a hammer blow to services day in, day out and year in, year out. Yesterday, Starmer used dehumanising language when he referred to migrants in disgraceful terms. I want to say quite clearly that migrants are welcome in this part of the world. They are welcome in my constituency and in every part of the North, despite the fear and propaganda that is spouted by some, including in this House and in the media. The vast majority of people on this island are welcoming. There is no such thing as an illegal asylum seeker. They do not exist. It is quite ironic that parties such as the DUP, Reform UK and others wholeheartedly back Britain's foreign policy, which creates refugees across the world. They are happy for Britain to spend billions on war and wreak havoc across the world, but they then lament and stick the boot into people for having the temerity to seek safety and sanctuary in this part of the world. The crisis in our health service was not caused by migrants or asylum seekers. It was caused by the economic policies of the British Government, and by the policies espoused by the DUP in particular.

487 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:33 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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